BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER. This year for my fiance's birthday I decided to surprise him with an experience. Since he loves cooking, I wanted to find someone to come to our apartment (in Manhattan) and give us a private cooking lesson. I hoped for a charismatic, intelligent, interesting chef who could come teach us some basics (for me) and advanced techniques (for him), while we produced and ate a fab meal and drank our own wines in the comfort of our home. Rachel was all of what I hoped and more. She nailed it. She arrived with suitcase in hand, wielding some better cutting boards, knifes, aprons, and some special professional tools. I had purchased the groceries beforehand based on the menu that Rachel tailored for us. She successfully created a menu that would challenge us (he is a REALLY good cook) and also be somewhat romantic and fun. We settled on a version of her "romantic bistro menu" which was delicious. Rachel is so knowledgeable. She gave us a mini knife skills lesson, told us about "mis en place" (the importance of prep), and we even learned how to properly sear seafood and meat (to achieve a Maillard reaction). We learned how to make a veloute. We learned a clever trick for storing fresh herbs. We learned tips for how to cook out of our pantry (not just follow a recipe). We poached fruit for dessert. We made a foam using her ISI tool. I swear to you, we use the info Rachel taught us ON A DAILY BASIS. One app we made (roasted crushed grape tomatoes with caramelized balsamic) could be transformed into countless dishes (alone as a spread for crackers/bread, on top of pasta, as a chutney, substituting basil for thyme...etc). We have made a vat of that roasted tomato dish every single Sunday since our lesson, and we store the leftovers and eat it with meals/snacks through the entire week. I'm eating it now as I type. You have to give Rachel a try, she is INCREDIBLE. I will invest in her again in the future. Highly recommended. read more

My daughter and I just completed Chef Rachel's Basic Cooking series. Chef Rachel chose menus to meet all of our goals. I wanted to liberate myself from recipes, and my daughter wanted to become comfortable enough in the kitchen to be able to fend for herself in college. Basic dishes like roast chicken and spaghetti and meatballs became, under Chef Rachel's guidance, gourmet experiences! She's not only an imaginative chef and patient, skillful teacher, she also has a great sense of humor, and makes cooking a joyful experience. My daughter and I will smile whenever we remember our cooking classes together. I intend to include the almond cookies and biscotti from the recipe we made together when I send my daughter dorm care packages. Chef Rachel's classes are more akin to Julia Child than to Martha Stewart in that her approach to cooking and eating is more about enjoying life than about creating "better than your neighbor's" appetizers. I can't imagine how anyone could create a better cooking class. I'm looking forward to taking another series in the spring or summer. read more

My wife and I were fortunate enough to have Rachel host several neighbors and us for what was a fantastic evening in our home. One of the best things about this (yes along with the phenomenal food) was the event itself. Everyone was involved in the prep work and cooking for the dinner. We even had a friend in from Paris who works at the restaurant at the Plaza and needless to say she had a blast. The menu was superb as well as watching everyone (especially the non foodies like yours truly) having a great time putting the dinner together. What a blast. Everyone there enjoyed themselves so much, and hopefully in the near future, we can do another event either at our house or one of our neighbors. I can't say enough about Rachel and her efforts to bring everything together. I have to say that if you have the chance, have Rachel, my favorite "Chopped Champion" over to your place for what will be a very memorable evening. Here's to you Rachel, and thanks again!!! ps, if they allowed 10 stars above, it still wouldn't be enough. read more

A group of girlfriends and I decided that the perfect gift for our friend's 30th birthday would be a cooking class where we could all learn some new cooking techniques, some new recipes, and just do something fun and different. Rachel and FoodFix did not disappoint! Our custom menu that Rachel provided was perfect for us: a selection of appetizers that we could easily re-create and bring to future gatherings as well as a couple cocktails! As one reviewer here has mentioned, her balsamic tomatoes have CHANGED MY LIFE. Seriously. I think I have an addiction. But more than the food (which was all awesome) it was a great and creative way to celebrate as a group, learn some new stuff, and have a lot of fun in the process. Rachel was a blast and seemed to even enjoy the sarcasm and overall silliness of our group. I would highly recommend this class to anyone, but be forewarned. You're going to be VERY full and happy at the end. So you know, hope you're into that kind of thing. read more

My fiancé and I attended Chef Rachel's New Years Eve cooking demo. She prepared an amazing 5 course meal for us and a small group of other couples including deviled quail eggs, salmon tar tar (deconstructed!), seared scallops and a short rib Wellington. To say that each of them turned out great would be selling them short! The reduction sauce used on the Wellington absorbed perfectly into the brioche bread. The smoked flavor in the salmon tartar paired perfectly with the buttery crisp it was served with! And I'm happy to say, the seared scallops with cauliflower couscous was a pleasant surprise for my first tasting of scallops! Beyond the excellent food, Chef Rachel and her staff were so polite and engaging. The menu was very aggressive, but Rachel remained calm, entertaining, and pleasant throughout the night (despite one particularly tough critic in the group!). Great New Years Eve! Thank you, Food Fix Kitchen and Chef Rachel! read more

I received this instructional class as a Christmas gift since I think of cooking as a chore rather than a pleasure. I chose to learn the Romantic French Bistro dinner and invited a friend. Rachel met us with enthusiasm and immediately broke down the dinner in such a palatable (pardon the pun) way that the task didn't seem that daunting (or chore-like). Without going into details, let's just say, I learned some great kitchen techniques as well as learning how to make a wonderfully delicious french dinner. I was able to reproduce my results and know that if ever I encountered a problem, Rachel is just an email away. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is looking to broaden their cooking experience. I don't think, either, that you have to be a novice (such as myself) she has a great deal of experience and can share much of her knowledge in a highly patient manner. read more

What a fantastic find! My first class was for holiday cooking, I learned new recipes and a few "new twists" on some old recipes. I prepared them for our holiday table ...everyone loved them! Then Rachel so kindly hosted a cooking day , it was to benefit the less fortunate in the local area. Adults and children helped prepare, cook and deliver the food. We all learned some delicious recipes and did a good turn for the community. This summer my teenage daughter and a friend attended a cooking class, it was great fun for them and the "leftovers" they brought home were wonderful. I look forward to attending more classes, this is also a great gift idea for my adult children and a girls night out!!!! read more

Rachel's class was a terrific, hands on get together for me, my wife and two close friends in our home. In addition to learning a lot of great background on the dishes and ingredients, she was energetic, an excellent story teller, and able to manage a party with folks of various cooking experience. I'm sure the group classes would also be fun, but perhaps a bit less intimate. We found her through a scoop street deal, but would gladly pay full price for the ~4 hour session again. we ended up tipping a little more than we would have tipped on the full value because of the groupon article we read a few days ago (http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/09/groupon-single-worst-decision/) read more

My husband and I had a wonderful evening at Food Fix Kitchen's Oktoberfest experience. Rachel emailed us beer and wine pairing information beforehand so we were able to bring a wine that nicely complimented the menu with us. She had mis en place trays ready to go and quickly divided the 12 attendees into groups of 3 to handle them. The kitchen set-up was easy to work in, directions were clear, only the finest and ingredients were provided and the resulting meal was divine! Rachel was energetic, knowledgeable, kept the class on track and entertained us with cooking stories involving her German mother. We look forward to attending future classes and bringing friends. read more

A lovely gift from my husband was a cooking lesson with Rachel. My mother-in-law and I spent three hours prepping and cooking......and laughing. We had the funnest afternoon, with a smart, supportive chef who knows her stuff. She is charming and easy to like....but kept us on our toes and so we learned so much. She kept us focused and really taught us how to approach, organize and, most importantly, cook a three course meal that we'd chosen. Her recipes are good and I have since cooked some of them on my own. This is my first yelp review and I'd like to say that I want to work with Rachel again. read more

My girlfriend invited me to be a part of Rachel's Culinary 101 session. I had such a great time! Rachel was so patient with my many questions. I was really amazed at how a little extra time of prepping pays off with much more satisfying results in regard to taste and health. The recipes had simple ingredients, there's no need to go to specialty stores for rare ingredients that would stay in your cupboard forever. Rachel , thanks for showing me a healthier take on greens and corn bread. I promise; no more Jiffy mix! read more

We bought a deal online for Rachel's class and were very happy with the results! The food was amazing but I guess you could get good food at a restaurant...What was special about the experience was that Rachel showed us how to make amazing dishes (still thinking about that Lentil soup!!!) with basic household ingredients and reasonable prep time. Rachel is a great teacher and fun to work with which is key because 4 hours is a long time to spend with someone that you don't enjoy talking to. read more

My daughter went to cooking camp at the Garage Kitchen and loved it! Not only did she come home with cooking skills she has been eager to continue using in our kitchen, she has also become more adventurous about trying new foods. Chef Rachel's relaxed, patient, fun style in the kitchen is a great fit for kids and the experience is one she will remember and want to enjoy again. We were so excited to try the recipes ourselves and will definitely take more classes and camps! read more

I took Chef Rachel's kids classes and camps. I loved them because you got to cook a bit more interdependently. Also you got to learn new culinary skills as well as recipes. In the summer camp you got to cook different Italian, Southern, French, and Thai recipes. And you got the recipes and an apron at the end of camp. These camps and classes really made my interest in cooking higher. I would deffinatly like to take more classes in the future. read more

A bunch of friends attended a class in Rachel's Garage Kitchen. The theme was the best burger! We all had so much fun and the food was fantastic!! I've recreated the veggie dish that was made several times since we took the class and i'm planning on making the entire menu for a small family gathering soon! I will be taking another class there again soon for sure! It was a blast! read more

I attended one of Rachel's cooking classes a few weeks ago and can't wait to do it again! I learned a lot and now feel more confident in my own kitchen. She's very "hands on" and informative and had us laughing and having fun the entire time! Our meal was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend attending a class; definitely worth the time. read more

Rachel Willen gave a wonderful cooking lesson to my wife and mom. It was a delightful afternoon filled with great food and warm vibes. Rachel arrived on time; she was well prepared and completely professional. I highly recommend Rachel as a culinary instructor and I'm sure her catering is fabulous too! read more

Rachel is awesome as a teacher and great fun as well. Best culinary class I have been to (did the pre-Thanksgiving) meal. Can't wait to go back for another culinary experience - trying to go with a group of friends this time which will make it even better! read more

What an amazing experience! Not only did we learn cooking techniques, some new recipes, and what designations like "organic" and "umami" actually mean, we had a ton of fun and a great meal to enjoy at the end. Highly recommended! read more